BIRMINGHAM, England, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 350 business leaders and guests attended The National Business Awards Regional Programme, sponsored by Orange, in Birmingham, Thursday 16th July, to celebrate the success of the most innovative, ethical and successful businesses in Wales, The Midlands and East Anglia.

Nine organisations were duly rewarded including Ipswich-based Active Web Solutions Limited that triumphed with The Orange Best Use of Technology in Business Award. Birmingham's Wesleyan Assurance Society, a leading financial guidance, products and services provider for professionals, won the prestigious Grant Thornton Business of the Year Award.

HL Display, one of Europe's leading suppliers of in-store merchandising and communications solutions, based in Kirmington, won the Health, Work & Well-being Award for Small Business. Its 50 years of trading has not diminished the sense that this is a closely-knit group of people. All staff clearly benefit from having health and wellbeing at work as a high corporate priority. Scoring exceptionally high, HL Display was the unanimous favourite of the judges.

Commenting on the winners, Anthony Keyworth, Director of Products for headline sponsor, Orange, said: "The quality of finalists this year has been outstanding, making many of the judging decisions very close calls. All the winners displayed resilience and determination to succeed in what has undoubtedly been a challenging environment, and it is organisations such as these that will help to stimulate renewed growth in the local economy."

Melton Mowbray-based Jeff Gunn, founder of Bright Ideas Global, was presented with the much sought after Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his exceptional leadership and vision. Philip Forrest, Chairman of Judges, The National Business Awards said: "After a closely fought contest between a number of extremely worthy entries the judges agreed Gunn exhibited the vision, courage, determination and risk management skills that are the hallmark of the entrepreneur. Gunn saw a market opportunity that created a true win-win-win situation for his business, his customers and the wider community."

The Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year trophy went to Wolverhampton's Wow! Stuff. "Put simply, it was clear that Wow! Stuff is a model SME because it is a highly profitable, well-managed, prudent, cutting edge, fun business. And it's official - Wow! Stuff is the fastest growing and most profitable company in the toy and gift industry. Importantly, they bring great brands to life!" said Robert Janes, Chair of Judges and Managing Director Stonebyte PR.

WEBMART Ltd from Bicester won The IMechE Business Innovation of the Year Award for applying its software to build Europe's leading low-cost print management service. Its multi-million pound turnover gives vivid testament that this is an exceptional business innovation expertly executed.

Smethwick's DPD, the trading division of GeoPost UK Limited, was the unanimous winner of The Customer Focus Award. The judges recognised the organisation for its creative and forward-thinking tactics, understanding of its B2B and B2C customers' needs and its strong ethical code in business leading to an exemplary customer focus strategy.

The Employer of the Year Award went to Northampton's Novacroft. "Novacroft is a young and innovative business with justified strong ambitions for growth," said Richard Pearson, Guest Chair of Judges. "The organisation was awarded for its corporate responsibility policy and actions underpinning what is obviously a well-run dynamic business, " Pearson added.

Samworth Brothers Ltd won The Growth Strategy of the Year Award. The judges deemed the winner to be a shining example of how a skilfully managed growth strategy will produce exceptional results. "This long established family business based at Melton Mowbray has secured significant year-on-year growth without making concessions to product quality, its support to local suppliers or its service promise to customers," concluded Robert Janes, Chair of Judges. Samworth Brothers Ltd manufactures a range of value-added chilled food that includes its own brand Ginsters.

When asked to comment overall on this year's winners, Anthony Keyworth, Director of Products for headline sponsor, Orange, said: "At Orange we know that winning recognition in the National Business Awards is a huge achievement and the success of each winner should be highlighted so that suppliers, partners and customers know that they are dealing with an organisation that is forward thinking and vibrant in its approach to business thinking."

To obtain further information and see the full list of winners and finalists visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk/regionals

The National Business Awards Regional Programme, sponsored by Orange, is United Business Media's business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on success, innovation and ethical business. Acknowledged as the UK's leading showcase for achievement in business, The National Business Awards connects the nation's professionals through its annual awards ceremonies and year-round marketing and promotional activity.

THE NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS REGIONAL PROGRAMME 2009

WINNERS AND FINALISTS WALES, THE MIDLANDS AND EAST ANGLIA

The Orange Best Use of Technology in Business Award

Winner: Active Web Solutions Limited, Ipswich, IP8 4JU Finalists: Click Travel Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Cybit Holdings Plc, Huntingdon, PE29 6FN; Lafarge Aggregates Ltd, Syston, LE7 1PF; Novacroft, Northampton, NN6 9AA; Rapide Communication, Coventry, CV4 7HS; Start-rite Shoes Ltd, Norwich, NR7 0WF and Truancy Call Ltd, Solihull, B90 8AG

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Winner: Jeff Gunn, Bright Ideas Global, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0RQ

Finalists: David Thomson, Best Deal Insurance Services Limited, Wellingborough, NN8 1DH; Dominic List, Comtact, Telford, TF3 3BB; Adam Price, IT3.com, Cardiff, CF10 5LR; Stephanie Chamberlain, Magic Milestones Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3JR; Sukhi Ghuman, Octavian Security, Nottingham, NG4 2JY and Hilary Devey, The Pall-Ex Group of Companies, Ellistown, LE67 1FH

The Grant Thornton Business of the Year Award

Winner: Wesleyan Assurance Society, Birmingham, B4 6AR

Finalists: Bottlegreen Drinks Company, Gloucestershire, GL5 5ET; Drive Assist UK Ltd, Tamworth, B78 3LY; Octavian Security, Nottingham, NG4 2JY; The Business Fort PLC, Lichfield, WS13 6RJ and The Pall-Ex Group of Companies, Ellistown, LE67 1FH

The Health, Work & Well-being Award for Small Business

Winner: HL Display, Kirmington, DN39 6YH

Finalists: Nominet, Oxford, OX4 4DQ and Novacroft, Northampton, NN6 9AA

The IMechE Business Innovation of the Year Award

Winner: WEBMART Ltd, Bicester, OX26 4UL

Finalists: Alcomet Limited, Kingswinford, DY6 8XF; Arden Photonics, Birmingham, B4 7ET; China Industries Limited t/a Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton, WV10 9TG; Click Travel Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Galleria, Alsager, ST7 2LT; Gladstone plc, Wallingford, OX10 9BT; I2D2 Ltd, Daventry, NN11 4XG; Rapide Communication, Coventry, CV4 7HS and Stormsaver Ltd, Newark, NG22 8PG

The Customer Focus Award

Winner: DPD, Smethwick, B66 1BY

Finalists: Admiral (Customer Service Department), Cardiff, CF10 3AZ; Bromford Group, Wolverhampton, WV10 6TB; Drive Assist Uk Ltd, Tamworth, B78 3LY; DVLA, Swansea, SA6 7JL; G4S Security Services (UK): Central Region, Coventry, CV5 6UB; Luminus Group, Huntingdon, PE29 3QW; RM, Abingdon, OX14 4SE; Wales & West Housing Association, Cardiff, CF24 2UD and Wesleyan Assurance Society, Birmingham, B4 6AR

The Growth Strategy of the Year Award

Winner: Samworth Brothers Ltd, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1GA

Finalists: Bright Ideas Global Ltd, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0RQ; China Industries t/a Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton, WV10 9TG; Drive Assist UK Ltd, Tamworth, B78 3LY; Enpure Limited, Birmingham, B32 3DB; Find Me A Gift Limited, Kineton, CV35 0JD; Lorien Engineering Solutions Limited, Lichfield, WS13 8RZ; NetSupport Ltd, Peterborough, PE6 8NE; The Book Depository Ltd, Gloucester, GL2 5EB and The Business Fort PLC, Lichfield, WS13 6RJ

The Employer of the Year Award

Winner: Novacroft, Northampton, NN6 9AA

Finalists: Kettleby Foods (a division of Samworth Brothers Ltd), Melton Mowbray, LE13 1GA; Luminus Group, Huntingdon, PE29 3QW; The Arden Hotel & Leisure Club, Solihull, B92 0EH and Kingscliffe Day Nursery, Loughborough, LE11 3AB

The Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year

Winner: Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton, WV10 9TG

Finalists: Castle Fine Arts Foundry Ltd, Nr Oswestry, SY10 0AA; Click Travel, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Pine Solutions, Norwich, NR1 1RB; Postcode Anywhere, Hallow, WR2 6NJ; Prometheus Medical Ltd, Herefordshire, HR6 0PW; ScriptSwitch Limited, Coventry, CV3 4FJ; southwold pier ltd, Southwold, IP18 6BN; SPECFLUE LIMITED, Sudbury, CO10 2XW and The Stoke by Nayland Club